Jeff G 78

My ITM pistons were great, but I should have thrown the rings away. I'm guessing it was a Black Dragon cheapness rather than an ITM problem, but the rings weren't individually packaged by piston like every other ring set I have ever bought. They were literally all together in one bag with no instructions as to groove positions or top/bottom orientation. They also didn't match any bevel/notch design I have ever seen, so it was anything but obvious. I took my best guess at it and threw them in. I'm convinced better rings would have increased my performance. At the time, I was in a hurry and I didn't have time to order a new ring set. That was about 10 years ago. I have not heard of any such problems lately with the Black Dragon piston/ring sets, so I think they got their act together.

So, what is the right answer on where to measure the 23mm from? Is it the bottom lip of the lid, or the bottom of the inside of the lid? That appears to make about a 3 - 4mm difference.

I put flat top ITM pistons in my street L28 and I got them from Black Dragon. I think they were $240 for the set with rings. They carried std and oversize at the time. I assume they still do.

Got it. Is that really where the 23mm is measured from??? I thought it was from the bottom of the lid just above the gasket, not from the inside of the lid.

No attachment yet Jim.

Attachment didn't work Jim.

Guy, I'm milling 0.050" from the head and I'm going with no shims. I will drill the cam and use the SBC offset bushings to set timing and I'll adjust the guides to get the tension right. I am told this procedure works fine. I hope so... http://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-4760

Interesting build Guy. Does it rev better than an L28? I'm currently building a F54/P79 combo with a milled head to bump the CR.

Most people would be overjoyed to get their finished Z to your starting point! I can't wait to see (and drool over) your progress pics. I promise I'll let you know if I ever get down your way. I'd love to see your fleet in person.

Hey Guy, I thought you were done with the restorations after the last one? I can't wait to see how this one turns out.

What carb is that Cap'n?

I'm interested. I've been fighting with mine and need to redo them very soon. BTW, is there a better way to deal with the bowl gaskets? They work great the first time and then they curl and get hard to line up. Can we glue them to the lids? Is there a better gasket material? I hate these things.

I always run Ate in my 260 race car. It works great for 24+ hour long endurance races. I always keep it fresh though and I rebleed after each race.

A fellow forum member who goes by aka_elvis owns that V12 Z now. He blew up the 5.3L V12 and is building a 6.0L V12 replacement.

Yep, Tony swears by them, so that's good enough for me.

Something is wrong. Either something isn't seated properly, or the ball stud isn't threading in and out right, or ??? You should be able to run the ball stud down to the point that there is a huge lash. First, is it running down all the way? If not, you found the issue. If it is, check to make sure the lash pad isn't turned sideways. If it is, the rocker will not be seated properly in the lash pad and will cause the lack of adjustment range. If you need to remove a lash pad, simply use a large flat screwdriver to open the valve and remove the pad. Rotate the engine so that the cam lobe in question is pointing up and then remove the spring holding the rocker to the ball stud. Just use your fingers and pull it over the end of the rocker. Now put the screwdriver under the cam with the blade on top of the valve spring cap. Position the shaft of the screwdriver so that it is on the cast portion (not the lobe) of the cam and pry up on the handle. The valve will open and you can remove the rocker. Once the rocker is out of the way, you can remove the lash pad. To answer your other question, no, the cam doesn't have to be perfectly aligned. There is about a 120° window where you are on the base circle with no valve lift.

I kind of looks like something Campagnolo would have made, but a quick search doesn't show any that match.

Hey Andy. Your paint is looking great. We still need to talk. I have to have a definitive plan for the engine shop.

There are lots of Chump and LeMons racers in TX. The best way to learn about the racing is to go watch a race. I can hook you up with a fellow Z racer from TX if you are interested. As for mods, check out my FB page in my sig for what I've done to mine.

Tom, LeMons doesn't actually race at Nelson. They did once in 2009, but now only ChumpCar runs there. I've run the LeMons race there as well as the ChumpCar races there.

Hey ksechler, here is a rolling shell that might be a great buy. At first glance, it looks too expensive, but I doubt you could buy a shell and get it to this point for less money. I have no idea of the quality of the work or how bad it was to start with, but if it was built right, it would make a great project car. The engine and trans are the cheap part. 1978 DATSUN 280z rolling chasis Sell or Trade

Don't be afraid to buy a shell from AZ or CA and ship it home. Waiting for a rust-free shell local to you is a lost cause.

Jan, yes, the 240mm clutch is for a 2+2. You will need the 225mm clutch assuming you have a coupe.

I run 1/8" toe out in the front for crisper turn-in.

Nice toy collection RJ.